Wolverhampton Wanderers have confirmed the sale of club captain Ruben Neves to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in a £47million deal.
The Portuguese midfielder made a name for himself at the Molineux, where he spent six epic seasons, moving from the Championship with Wolves under Nuno Espirito Santo. Neves scored 30 goals in 253 appearances during six seasons at the West Midlands club and became club captain after Conor Coady departed.
His quality at the Molineux attracted the interest of Europe’s biggest clubs, especially as he had one year left on his deal with Wolves. Barcelona were considered the front runners for his services, but Neves chose a big-money move to Saudi Arabia.
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Speaking about his move, Neves was seen whipping away tears in an emotional video posted on the Premier League club’s Twitter account, with the 26-year-old saying he had made ‘thousands of memories which will last forever’.
“Wolves, six seasons, 253 games, champions of the Championship, five years of Premier League football, an FA Cup semi-final, our European adventure and some huge wins,” he said.
“And thousands of memories which will last forever, what an unbelievable journey. I’ve worked with so many great people along the way.
“Every single moment was unforgettable.”
Meanwhile, Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs told the club’s website: “Ruben is the embodiment of everything you look for when trying to bring players into a football club: a leader, a humble man and an extremely talented footballer who took Wolves to a different level.
“He was part of a great era for this club and will go down as one of our best-ever players.
“We are grateful for everything he has done for Wolves and wish him and his family the very best for the future.”
